What To Do When Temptation Strikes

What should I do when temptation strikes? Here is the best advice I have ever received. It's from a facilitator in the 12 Step Program.

He said that over his life he has received numerous suggestions
regarding how to handle temptation.These included many of the things that we all may have heard at one time
or another.Some of these suggestions
may have included:

Run around the block

Read the scriptures

Hum a hymn

Look at uplifting church-related pictures

Take a cold shower

Call a friend

Do service for someone else

Even though all of these may be good, he found that the
thing that works the best for him is to immediately pray to
Heavenly Father and ask for His help.Once you ask for His help he may inspire you to do one or several of the
items listed above.But the first thing
we should all do is to pray!

Prayer and sin cannot exist in our mind at the same time.

I have found this to be true in my own life.There have been many times in the last few
months when a bad thought has entered my mind.If I can immediately ask Heavenly Father to remove that thought He
will.I don’t have to use my own will
power, or ask for strength to fight the thought, or white knuckle it.I just
have to turn it over to God and sincerely ask Him to take it away.Examples: Several times over the last while, I have had bad thoughts enter my mind, often while driving. I have immediately asked Heavenly Father to help me get rid of those thoughts and replace them with something else. And every time He has removed those thoughts within 15 to 30 seconds. I can still tell you exactly where I was driving at the time (800 North in Orem or the on-ramp to I-15, etc) But I cannot tell you what those bad thoughts were. They were completely removed from my mind.

President Ezra Taft Benson’s father counseled him as a boy: “Remember
that whatever you do or wherever you are, you
arenever alone.Our Heavenly Father is always near. You can
reach out and receive His aid through prayer.”